When you consider just how many times Kakumeiki Valvrave has upped the ante already, it’s clear that this is a series that doesn’t shy away from the treads of dark waters – and such a display of ferocity was never more apparent than this week! Aina’s demise in Episode Seven was hard enough to swallow as it is and I have a certain suspicion the unfortunate fate that befell Saki is going to be even more controversial. Stop me here if you saw all that coming – I admit I didn’t, even with the many clues that have been presented so far. The spiritual brutality of this latest revelation left me profoundly unsettled, to say the least, and it’s hard to decipher just how much of what happened was engineered or circumstantial. This is especially true since we have no idea what the side effects of the Valvrave’s malediction is and why Haruto’s beastly state of mind sought for sexual gratification this time instead of mere body-hijack. Call it whatever you want – a casual fornication, a partially-consensual intercourse or even a full-on rape – the indisputable fact is that Saki was sexually assaulted in the last three minutes of this episode and without a doubt, such a deplorable incident is something that no one should make light of.

I deeply admire the innate ability of this series to switch between its tones and styles so fluently. The scenes involving Module 77’s election was ostensibly uplifting – right down to Shouko’s inspirational speech, and during the whole time, poor Saki was being subjected to such horrifying sexual torment – dumbstruck and lamenting that the recent happenings is nothing more than a curse. There was so much about the whole sequence that was startling in its impact, not least of which was seeing the usually stoic and composed Saki come apart at the seams and utterly beaten down. This is a truly a testament to just how flawlessly executed the last few minutes were, and while it would probably be a stretch to say I “rejoiced” in it, I do give the producers credit for having the audacity to take the series in a different course – and one that is genuinely disconcerting at that. What comes next, presumably, is where the rubber meets the road, and I’m not entirely sure how Haruto or Saki will cope with the traumatic experience that just occurred. Saki, has proven to be extremely adaptable and strong-willed in the face of difficulty, but the subject matter at hand is as weighty as its gets for a teenage girl and I suspect no one, not even Saki, would be able to emerge from this ordeal unscathed. Haruto, on the other hand, is bound to suffer from a huge psychological blow and this dreadful event will most likely exacerbate his identity crisis further – a development that would, no question, push him away from Shouko, just as she was about to confess!

If there’s any poetic justice to the wretched incident, I supposed it would be the fact that Saki is, indeed, in love with Haruto, and everything that she says or does up to this point, contradicts greatly with the proclamation she made back at Episode Six. Saki’s inability to be honest with Haruto – and perhaps herself, is in stark contrast to Shouko, who at this stage, seems like the only vertex of the love triangle that is not completely in tatters. It remains to be seen how Shouko will come to terms with the growing distance that exists between Haruto and herself and as the newly-elected representative of Module 77, not only does she have to minister the welfare of her people, Shouko also has to deal with the incoming carnage of the Dorssian fleet – who is on pins and needles in preparation for a grand showdown. Speaking of Dorssians, it appears there’s a growing sense of distrust looming in the backdrop, and both Kriemhild (Mizuki Nana) and H-neun (Miyano Mamoru) could very well have agendas of their own. The seeming defection has obviously introduced yet another wild card to this series and as the curtain of the first season rings down, it would be interesting to see how the latest breakthroughs influence the imminent confrontation, and whether L-elf and Haruto have what it takes to tackle Colonel Cain and the revelations that he brings head-on – of course, that is assuming they are on the same team to begin with and such a premise is certainly not a given!

Random tidbits:

“SEX! SEX! SEX! SEX! SEX!” – I wonder why OS-tan is so obsessed with sexual intercourse. Does she feed on lustful primal desires?

“So much for it being just the two of us” – It’s unfortunate how things turned out, but Saki’s definitely interested!

“It matters to me because I don’t want to see you cry!” – As much as I like Saki as the female lead, Shouko’s the one who brings out the best in Haruto and those two should just get married already!

“I’m going to confess to the person I love” – I hope this is not a dead flag for Shouko! The fake out during the premiere could be another fake out.

“Chip and chili oils were meant to be together” – Feeding Akira is like feeding your dog. She gets amused so easily!

Everyone, vote for Nanami chan! – I can’t believe she ranked last in the preliminary poll.